Fantasy Family Simulator (FFS)

Through this simulation, Rhett could basically confirm that Blackstar was backed by an organization. Otherwise, it would be hard to explain how he had such accurate knowledge of the movements of evildoers. It would be nearly impossible for an individual to achieve this on their own—such efficiency in locating criminals surely required a well-established information network.

As he pondered this, Rhett felt even more perplexed. "If this organization is solely focused on capturing evildoers, does that mean everyone in it is as eccentric as Blackstar?"

Shaking his head to dispel the odd thoughts, Rhett downed his blueberry juice in one gulp and stretched. Despite the peculiarities, this simulation had been quite fruitful. The foresight he gained confirmed that Henk was trustworthy, so he could now confidently share the secrets of the Snow Elf and the bloodline potion with him.

With that in mind, Rhett leisurely descended the stairs and headed to the alchemy laboratory. At that moment, Ryley was diligently taking notes with a blue ink pen, his expression one of humble attentiveness as he listened intently. Henk stood by the alchemy table, gesturing toward a bubbling alchemical cauldron as he patiently explained the process.

"I just talked about the fire control details for extracting essence in the Moonlight Potion. Now, let's move on to how to combine the properties of the essences to achieve alchemical sublimation. First, add 420 grams of ice water to the cauldron. Then, using mental energy, control 20.5 units of Ice Crystal Lily essence and pour it over the ice water. Before the water temperature rises, add 6.2 units of Rock Bull Fruit essence. Simmer on low heat, and when the temperature reaches 30 degrees, begin to gradually blend the two essences with mental energy..."

Ryley listened with rapt attention, occasionally nodding thoughtfully as he made notes. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed his father at the door. He set down his pen and said, "Father!"

Henk noticed Rhett's arrival as well. He stopped his lecture, extinguished the flame under the cauldron, and walked to the door. "Good morning, Lord Rhett."

"Good morning, Henk," Rhett replied with a smile. "I'm sorry to interrupt your alchemy lesson."

"It's no problem, Lord Rhett. Ryley is a very bright student—his memory and comprehension are excellent, and he learns quickly. We won't lose much time," Henk said with a smile.

Ryley, standing nearby, added humbly, "You're too kind, Mr. Henk. Your explanations are very clear!"

Henk's smile remained as he asked, "Is there a task you need me to handle, Lord Rhett?"

"No, not a task, but there are some things I need to tell you. As the head of the alchemy lab, this information might help you make decisions in the future."

"Please, go ahead, my lord," Henk replied, curiosity gleaming in his eyes.

Rhett walked into the room and began speaking slowly, "Henk, as the most skilled alchemist in the territory, you need to know about the existence of the Snow Elf. It's here, in my territory, and it has recognized Ryley as its master."

Ryley, who was standing nearby, was initially surprised that his father had revealed this secret, but he quickly understood the reasoning and calmly added, "Yes, Mr. Henk, the Snow Elf is with me."

The gravity of this revelation hit Henk hard. He shuddered, his eyes darting between Rhett and Ryley in disbelief. Swallowing hard, he asked, his voice shaky, "A... Snow Elf? The one-of-a-kind spirit of legend with miraculous abilities?"

Ryley silently nodded in confirmation.

Henk stood frozen, taking several minutes to process the news. When he finally recovered, his face lit up with anticipation. "Master Ryley, may I see the Snow Elf? I'm incredibly curious about such a legendary creature! They say spirits can take many forms—some are liquid, some gaseous, others resemble beasts, and some even take humanoid shapes... Is the Snow Elf shaped like a snowflake?"

Realizing he might be overstepping, Henk quickly added, "But please rest assured, Lord Rhett, Master Ryley—I swear to keep the Snow Elf's existence a complete secret. I won't tell a soul!"

Meeting Henk's hopeful gaze, Ryley shook his head. "I'm sorry, Mr. Henk, but the Snow Elf is special. It only appears in winter. The rest of the time, it stays in hibernation. You'll have to wait until winter to see it."

"I see..." Henk said, nodding in understanding. After a moment of thought, he asked, "Master Ryley, I've heard that all spirits have unique abilities. May I ask what the Snow Elf can do?"

"Of course. The Snow Elf can double the growth rate of water-type magical plants and water-type magical beasts," Ryley explained, emphasizing the spirit's most significant ability. He then added, "It can also control the weather, lower temperatures, and bring snowfall, but those abilities are only available during winter."

Hearing that the growth rate of water-type magical plants could double, Henk's excitement reignited. Controlling the weather and lowering temperatures didn't interest him as much, but the ability to enhance plant growth was a massive boon for any alchemist.

"Incredible!" Henk marveled, murmuring to himself. "No wonder it's a spirit. Its abilities defy common understanding. I'm so curious about the source of its powers..."

Rhett raised an eyebrow—he was curious about that too. But with his current level of power, it would be difficult to explore such mysteries.

"So, with the Snow Elf's abilities, wouldn't it make sense to focus on cultivating water-type magical plants and then trade those for other types of magical plants?" Henk suggested after some thought.

"That's exactly what we're doing. Most of the plants in our cultivation fields are water-type," Ryley confirmed.

Henk nodded, excitement evident in his expression. "I know some well-connected alchemists. If we run into difficulties with plant trading, I can reach out to them for help."

With that, Henk sat down at a small table near the wall, taking a bite of pale yellow cheese as he processed the shocking information about the Snow Elf.

Just then, Rhett spoke again. "Henk, there's one more thing you need to know."

Henk blinked in surprise, wondering what else there could be. Could there be a second spirit?

"The second matter concerns Thales. Although the outside world sees him as an ordinary person, he's actually taken a bloodline potion. He may soon break through to become an apprentice mage. He's passionate about alchemy, and when the time comes, he will likely start learning from you."

The news of Thales taking a bloodline potion was significant for a Viscount's territory, but compared to the revelation of the Snow Elf, it seemed almost mundane. Henk took a deep breath, feeling less overwhelmed this time.

Yet deep down, he felt he had chosen the right path. Snow Elves, bloodline potions—either of these could cause a massive stir if word got out. But Lord Rhett had shared these secrets with him without hesitation, showing deep trust. Henk was profoundly moved by this trust.

Standing up, Henk bowed slightly. "Lord Rhett, I understand. Thank you for trusting me. I promise that everything I've learned today will stay with me—I won't mention it to anyone."

"I believe you," Rhett said with a smile, patting Henk's shoulder. He then added, "Tomorrow, I'm planning to take Tark, Ryley, and Thales to hunt in the Darkfeather Eagle's territory. We'll be away from the territory for two to three months. During that time, some of the magical plants in the cultivation fields will mature. I'm counting on you to take care of them."

"Don't worry, my lord. I'll look after the plants," Henk assured him.

Ryley, surprised by the news of another hunting trip, didn't object. This was a rare opportunity for real combat experience, a chance to test the skills he'd honed through practice.

For Rhett, the timing of this hunting trip was deliberate. In previous simulations where they didn't hunt, Thales had broken through to apprentice mage status during this period. If they delayed the hunt until after that, their pace of accumulating Fate Points would slow significantly. After all, Dick, their youngest, was still just a year old—hardly someone who could take down magical beasts.

That evening, Rhett gathered his three sons for a brief family meeting. The next day, they set out for the Darkfeather Eagle's territory.

In the vast plains, Rhett rode atop Greygoat, watching Ryley ahead of him on Whitegoat. A trace of envy crossed his mind. He wanted to ride a magical beast too—not just an ordinary horse.

"When will I finally be able to ride an eagle into the sky..." he thought wistfully.

"Whitegoat, slow down a bit!" Ryley noticed the increasing distance between himself and the group and patted Whitegoat's head. "Don't leave the team behind!"

"Roar!" Whitegoat let out a low growl and obediently slowed down, coming alongside Blackgoat.

But Blackgoat seemed intimidated by the magical beast, its pace faltering. Tark gently stroked its mane to calm it down.

"Ryley, you'd better keep your distance. You're scaring my Blackgoat!" Tark grumbled.

Over the past year, Whitegoat hadn't yet evolved into a mid-tier magical beast, but it had grown significantly larger—over two meters long and full of grace. Ryley, riding atop Whitegoat, moved with the wind, faster than the Blackgoat he had once envied.

Seeing Whitegoat, Tark couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. His eyes darted around before he turned to Rhett and asked, "Father, can I get a magical beast cub when we reach the Darkfeather Eagle's territory?"

Thales, overhearing, quickly chimed in, "Father, I want one too!"

Rhett rolled his eyes. "Do you think magical beast cubs are as common as cabbage? You can't just pick one up! Especially you, Thales. You haven't even become an apprentice mage yet—you wouldn't be able to tame one."

"But, Father!" Thales protested. "My meditation has been stuck lately. I can feel a breakthrough coming. Once I become an apprentice mage, I'll definitely be able to tame a cub!"

"Mmmpf! Mmmpf!" Thales's protests were cut off as Tark clamped a hand over his mouth. Thales's eyes widened in outrage as he struggled to free himself.

Tark hurriedly said, "Father, remember—first come, first served! Last year, I already asked for a magical beast cub, and you promised me one. So if we find one, it should go to me!"

Hiss! Tark suddenly felt a sharp pain in his hand and quickly withdrew it, glaring at Thales. "Thales! Did you just bite me?"

"Ugh!" Thales spat a few times, his face twisted in disgust. "Your hand is so hard, and now my teeth hurt! Why does it smell so bad too?"

Tark froze for a moment, then burst into laughter. "Oh, I forgot to mention—I cleaned up Blackgoat's manure earlier, and I guess I got some on my hand without washing it off!"

Rhett turned his head and silently stared at Tark, at a loss for words.

Upon hearing this, Thales's expression became even more animated, and he shouted, "Tark, you're the worst! How can you not wash your hands after cleaning manure? That's so un-noble of you! You must have done this on purpose!"

But with his youthful voice, Thales's outburst sounded anything but intimidating.

Tark laughed heartily, relishing his rare moment of teasing his younger brother without feeling guilty.

"Do you need help washing your hands, Tark?" Ryley asked with a grin after watching the exchange.

Tark sniffed his hand, recoiling in disgust. "Yes, please, Ryley!"

As Rhett watched his sons banter, he couldn't help but smile. But the moment passed quickly, and his expression grew serious. He raised a hand and said quietly, "Stay alert—there's a magical beast approaching!"

Instantly, Ryley, Tark, and Thales became focused. Ryley gripped his staff, Tark drew his sword, and Thales scanned their surroundings, searching for the source of danger.

Thud, thud, thud.

Heavy thudding sounds came from the southeast. Their eyes locked on a massive wild boar emerging from the small forest!

As it appeared, it crashed through a thick tree trunk that would take an adult's arms to encircle as if it were nothing. The boar spotted Rhett's group and charged at them with terrifying momentum!

"Father, that's a Bloodhoof Boar! Judging by its size and aura, it must be at least Tier 3!" Ryley exclaimed, his pupils contracting.

The moment Rhett sensed the disturbance, he dismounted and positioned himself in front of his sons, gripping his staff.

As the Bloodhoof Boar charged with ferocious speed, Rhett focused his mental energy and cast a Quicksand Spell!

In front of the group, the grassy field transformed into a patch of yellowish-brown quicksand, with shallow whirlpools that tugged at anything above them.

Rhett narrowed his eyes, preparing to follow up with an attack spell as soon as the Bloodhoof Boar's movement was hindered by the quicksand...